Between Life and Death
by Meya Orion
Summary: On a night of the last moon, Hikaru must risk her life in exchange for those that she loves. (Continuation of Demonic Miko: Hikaru)
1. Default Chapter

Toutousai removed the blade from the forge and plunged it into a nearby vat of water before inspecting his work. The old youkai smiled. The blade was almost ready. Using his hammer he pounded the last few imperfections before he returned the blade to the fire.

"Hey! Toutousai-jii!" an all too familiar voice called out.

The weapon smith froze. He recognized the voice. It was Inuyasha. What did that hanyou want with him this time? He sighed and turned towards the entrance of his cave. Sure enough, he saw Inuyasha walking to his home. But who was that young girl with him? She looked vaguely familiar, yet he couldn't remember from where.

"There you are! I thought that we'd find you here," Inuyasha said in a way of greeting. He entered without being asked, followed by the strange girl. It was obvious that she was a hanyou; in fact, she was similar to Inuyasha in form.

"Well, out with it. What do you want this time, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou smiled and gently pushed the girl forward. "This is Hikaru, my imooto-san. You remember her right?"

The old youkai sat back on his stool with arms crossed and head shaking. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. But there is no way that this girl could be your sister. She disappeared a long time ago. For all we know, the girl is dead by now."

"Can nothing convince you, Toutousai-san?" the girl asked. Again, the smith shook his head.

"Nothing."

"Not even this?" Hikaru unsheathed Tennega and held the sword in her hands.

Inuyasha hadn't thought that it was possible for Toutousai's eyes to get any larger than they already were. He was mistaken though. The smith's eyes widened as he carefully looked over the sword. He caressed the metal with the tips of his fingers and held it as if it were an infant.

"Where…where did you get this?"

"From a shrine where our father had hidden it," Inuyasha replied.

After a few minutes, the smith placed the sword on the table and held one of her hands in his. "If I hadn't forged that sword myself than I wouldn't have believed it. But that is indeed the third sword that I made for Inutaisho. Welcome home, child. I always believed that you would make it back here somehow."

"You mean you didn't believe that she had died?" Myouga piped up from Inuyasha's shoulder. The flea youkai jumped up and down in anxiety and surprise.

Toutousai shook his head. "Nope. Never did. If that was true, then their father would have returned the sword to me rather then let one of his remaining children possess it. Instead he hid the sword. That was enough to convince me that Hikaru would one day return to claim her inheritance."

The flea glumly sat down with a sweat drop. "How is it that I'm the only one that thought that Hikaru-sama was dead?" he murmured.

Toutousai and the hanyou tactfully ignored him. Inuyasha and Hikaru plopped down by the table while he checked the wear on Tennega.

"Hmm…. Not much use on here. Haven't used it that often have you, Hikaru?"

"No, not really. I have not had many occasions to use its powers."

"Unlike him who would use any excuse to invoke Tetsusaiga's power."

"Hey! I had to face off against some powerful youkai!"

"Still, that's no excuse for abusing a blade like Tetsusaiga."

The smith turned to the forge with Tennega in hand. Deftly he substituted the swords and set forth on honing the blade. The hanyou sat in silence for a moment each lost in their thoughts.

Then Inuyasha's ears began to twitch. An idea had come to him. But if he didn't do this right, then it won't work. He yawned and stretched his arms over his head.

"Hey, Hikaru, wasn't there a smith from those stories that you keep telling Shippou? You know the one, the one that helped that king?"

"Oh, that was Dian Cecht. And he wasn't a smith, ani-chan, he was a healer and brother to Nuada, his king."

"Yeah, I think that I remember now. Didn't Nuada have a hand that was made of silver?"

She nodded. "Until another hand of flesh was crafted for him."

Inuyasha whistled. "That must have been something. Creating a whole new hand for someone. Did it actually work?"

"I imagine so. The stories never really said if it did or not. But Nuada was still able to fight with using that hand I think."

"Heh. What business did that guy have with messing with metals when he was supposed to be fooling around with plants? And using silver? That kind of metal is too soft for that kind of work," Toutousai mumbled.

Hikaru moved to speak but was interrupted by Inuyasha. "Like you could do the same. All you know how to make are swords."

The youkai turned around and faced the hanyou. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said! I bet that you couldn't."

"I can so! And better than that Cecht guy!"

Inuyasha smirked. "Then let's see you do it. You say that you can do it better, so instead of just a hand make something else then."

"Like what?"

Inuyasha stood and placed his right hand below the shoulder on his left arm. "An entire arm. From here down. And it has to work like a normal arm."

Toutousai thought for a moment then nodded. "Very well then. But I'm going to need some material before I can get to work."

He approached the hanyou with a pair of pliers in his hand. "This shouldn't take long."

A few minutes later, the siblings were making their way back to the others down the mountain. Inuyasha was nursing a head that was sore in two places: one where his fangs had been removed and the other where Hikaru had hit him after Toutousai removed hers. She hadn't realized that when she had been told that the smith had used their father's fangs in the swords, they had been literal.

"They'll grow back, Hikaru!"

"Not soon enough for me. This is night of the last moon, remember?"

He winced. Inuyasha hadn't intended for this to happen, but the timing to talk to Toutousai about this had to happen right then. He couldn't have waited.

"What's happening tonight, Inuyasha-sama?"

"This is the night that Hikaru turns into a human," the hanyou replied.

"Oh."

"Yeah. We better get back to the others quickly and find a place to spend the night. I don't think that it's a good idea for us to be about."

Hikaru sighed, "There is wisdom in that. My houriki may be stronger tonight than it is for the rest of the month, but I won't be able to use Tennega. Tonight would be better used making any healing potions that we might need."

"Especially antidotes to poisons."

It was that evening and Hikaru completed her transformation. Miroku eyed Hikaru with an appraising eye, but said nothing. He was well aware what would happen if he did say something.

Hikaru finished her meal, fetched a basket, and went to the entrance of the cave. "I'm going to gather some herbs. I should be back soon."

"You're not going anywhere alone, Hikaru. I insist that one of us goes with you," Inuyasha demanded.

Hikaru wanted to argue but her desire to gather healing herbs was stronger. She simply nodded. "Who'll go with me?"

"I will!" cried Shippou. The young kitsune bounded over to her and settled on her shoulder. "I'll be happy to go with you."

Juanyu stood up as well. "I've done this before with you, Hikaru-sama. You'll finish quicker with more than one person looking for the herbs."

She smiled. "Very well." She looked at the group. "We'll be back before the moon reaches the zenith."

Her ani-chan nodded, satisfied. She would be safe enough with Shippou along. He couldn't leave the group incase of trouble, the same with Sango. And he didn't trust Miroku enough to leave him alone with his imooto-san. And Kagome didn't have many fighting skills in case of trouble.

The trio left the cave and vanished into the woods.

Well above them, a figure smiled in a nasty way that could only mean trouble. In the shadows behind him, others stood awaiting his command.

"Well, well. Looks like I've found you, Inuyasha."


	2. The Night Continues

Hikaru stretched her back as she mentally inventoried what herbs she had been able to gather this night. Behind her, Juanyu was teaching Shippou about the different herbs that they had so far found. She was glad that they were getting along so well. It would have been troublesome if there were any troubles in the group that she had joined.

Her mouth felt sore and odd, as the fangs hadn't completely grown back when the sun had set. She could only hope that the growth would finish when she returned to her hanyou form.

"Hikaru-sama, we should be getting back," Juanyu said. The little kitsune jumped onto his shoulder as he gathered their tools and the herbs.

"Are you sure? I was hoping to find some more herbs."

He nodded. "The moon is reaching the zenith."

She sighed and nodded. She had promised ani-chan that they would be back by the zenith. She didn't want to worry him.

"Let's head back."

Inuyasha fidgeted by tapping foot and his ears occasionally twitching. Kagome's presence was the only thing that was keeping him from pacing back and forth in the cave. He was nervous about Hikaru being out for so long. She had said that they would be back by the moon's zenith. He could barely make out the moon's path but it was almost at the apex and there was no sign of any of them.

"Gah! Where are they?" he growled. The others ignored him. They were use to his tempers by now.

He froze. The others froze with him as they all were beginning to hear an ominous buzzing that was all too familiar to the group.

Small balls bounced into the cave, emitting a nauseous gas. Inuyasha fell to his knees as the smell overwhelmed his nose. There were noises of people entering the cave.

"Dammit! What do they want now?" Inuyasha cried as he moved to draw Tetsusaiga. Unfortunately, a youkai came up from behind and pinned his arms to his body. Another grabbed the sheath and flung the sword towards the opening of the cave.

Looking around, the hanyou saw that the other were similarly disarmed and trapped. What could only be Kirara was struggling in a bag made from something that was strong enough to hold her. Sango had lost her Hiraikotsu and Miroku couldn't risk using his wind tunnel. The poison insects were clustered around him.

Standing at the entrance of the cave was Hakudoushi and Kagura. Kagura looked blankly arrogant while Hakudoushi was smirking arrogantly.

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other, hasn't it hanyou?"

"Dammit, what do you want, bastard?"

The youkai looked over at Kagome and Miroku. "Them for now. I need some one with strong spiritual power. And getting rid of them would be a bonus."

"Not if we have anything to say about it!"

Juanyu in his wolf form charged at the leaders, but he was intercepted and bound with Kagura's winds. Shippou tried his best but he was also captured. Hikaru was nowhere in sight. Inuyasha was glad for that.

"Now we have settled that, let's get started, shall we?" Hakudoushi moved closer to Kagome and Miroku, raising his axe.

"WAIT!"

He stopped as Hikaru emerged from her hiding place amongst the underbrush of the forest. Juanyu and Shippou had insisted that she remain hidden, she was too vulnerable as a human. But she couldn't allow this to happen to her friends.

"Why should I?"

"Because maybe I can help?" she replied.

He lowered his axe and looked at her with open curiosity. "How?"

"It would depend. Why do you need their blood?"

"The last shard is stuck between the realm of the living and the dead. The best way is to build a bridge of blood. I can use the blood of those with great spiritual power to form the bridge quicker than with ordinary people."

"What if I could tell you that I could travel to that realm and retrieve the shard all by myself? It would save you much trouble," she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Then I'd say get it for me."

"Only if you promise that you will spare my friends."

He chuckled. "So, you bring back the shard, I will let them go…for now?"

She nodded.

"Very well. I agree to your terms."

She nodded again and stepped purposely forward to the large wicker basket that Juanyu carried. She rummaged all the way to the bottom and retrieved a wooden casket that none of the group had seen before. Hikaru set it on the cave floor and carefully raised the lid. Inside were sealed jars with labels written in a language only she amongst them knew.

She lifted three of the jars and also removed a cup and little broom that looked like it was used for whisking. Carefully the seals were broken and she mixed them together using the water from the kettle that Kagome had over the fire. Hikaru replaced the jars. Her fingers rested on top of one jar as if she was hesitant to have anything to do with it.

Sighing the miko removed the jar and broke the seal. There was something about the jar that caused Juanyu to start struggling in his bounds. He whimpered and growled in protest. Whether it was to his bonds or to the jar that his mistress held was anyone's guess. She measured a few drops of the liquid and quickly put the jar back.

"What is that?" Hakudoushi demanded.

"This potion will allow me to travel to the realm between life and death and back. You do want me to return, don't you?"

He said nothing in reply. Hikaru took deep breaths as she tried to calm down. What she was purposing to do was very dangerous and not something she had attempted before. Her teachers had told her what she would have to do if the need arose. At this moment, this was the only way that she could see to help save her brother and friends.

She sat cross-legged on the floor with the cup in her hands. Exhaling, she closed her eyes and steeled herself. Hikaru drained the cup in two swallows; it tasted bitter going down her throat.

Dropping the cup on the floor she placed her hands in her lap and assumed a meditative stance. A few moments later, Inuyasha's ears detected her heart slowing.

"Wha…what was that shit?"

Hikaru looked around in the grayness that she found herself in. The boundary between the living world and the dead was locked in perpetual twilight. Ahead of her she could see a large arched gate and hear the water of a river passing by.

She walked forward carefully, not quite sure what to do. The girl had only heard of this before, she had never actually done it by herself. And yet, for everyone's sake, she had to succeed.

Gathering her courage, Hikaru continued on towards the gate. It all likelihood, that was where the shard would be. Near the gate, she saw a small girl sitting on the ground crying softly. Curious, she approached the child.

It was by pure instinct that she survived. The known whizzing of an arrow came at her and the miko flattened herself on the ground. Her teacher said that was the best way to handle it. None of this fancy dodging, the arrow could come any direction. Better to kiss the ground and live than risk getting hit by an arrow that is not seen.

"Get out of here!" a voice cried. It wasn't the child; while the voice was feminine it was older than the girl.

Hikaru lifted her head enough to get a glimpse of the archer. The woman had come out of whatever hiding place she had and was standing a few yards away from her. Hikaru blinked her eyes a few times to make sure that she was seeing clearly. The archer looked like someone that Hikaru already knew.

"Kikyou…"

The former priestess paused in notching another arrow. She looked puzzled and carefully took a few steps forward. "How do you know my name?"

Hikaru slowly sat up and faced Kikyou. "I've heard of you from those that knew you. I never believed that I would see you though."

"So, you know Inuyasha?"

Hikaru nodded and felt safe enough to stand. She rose slowly, not wanting the woman in front of her to have an excuse to try to shot her again. Kikyou kept her arrow trained on Hikaru.

"How do you know him?"

"He is my ani-chan," she replied. Hikaru saw Kikyou's fingers twitch and the girl moved to one side as the arrow flew past her.

"Liar! Inuyasha has no younger siblings!"

Hikaru found a hiding place underneath some underbrush and wondered what to do now. She couldn't get any closer to the gate without alerting Kikyou. And the shard was near there.

She nearly jumped when she felt a small hand on hers. Turning Hikaru saw that it was the little girl.

"Are you a miko?"

"Y…yes."

"Are you still alive?"

"Yes."

The child smiled. "Then please take me with you."


	3. Between Living and Dead

He couldn't take it. Hikaru was risking her life for them and there was nothing that he could do to help. "Gah- Hey, Juanyu, what was that shit she took?"

The shadow-youkai had reverted to his human form. He was more comfortable in his bonds this way. Tears rimmed on the edge of his eyes and he was working to keep them there. "I'm not sure, Inuyasha-sama. All that I do know is this: that potion could end up killing her."

"How?"

"That bit she added."

"What is it?"

"Some kind of herb that cannot be found here. That's what is in that chest. Hikaru-sama keeps the herbs that she cannot replenish there. She showed me once a very lethal one. Even a few drops would be enough to kill a man. That was the one she added to the potion. I recognized the markings on the bottle."

Shit. This was bad. Hikaru was in her human form. If she misjudged the dosage of that herb then she was dead. But not yet.

Hikaru gaped. The child in front of her looked at the miko with hopeful eyes and an expectant look.

"You…you what?"

"I want you to take me with you," she repeated.

"Why?"

"Because I'll be safer with you."

"I don't understand."

The girl didn't answer. Kikyou thrust through the bushes ready to fire. Hikaru cursed under her breath, grabbed the child, and ran. Any direction was good, so long as it was away from Kikyou.

Her steps took to the edge of the river. She halted at the edge, a few stones and clods dropped into the murky waters.

"There you are. Release the spirit and I'll make your death a quick one," ordered the dead miko.

Hikaru poised to fight, but the little girl stood in front of her glaring at her would-be protector.

"Don't hurt her!"

Both women looked at the child in shock. Kikyou recovered first. "But she is an enemy. I can sense that she is still alive, yet here she is. And I know that she is a liar."

"No I am not. Inuyasha is my ani-chan. I am a hanyou like he is."

"She's right."

Kikyou looked surprised and doubtful at the child's assertion. This girl was too young to be related to Inuyasha. She was human as well. How dare she claim to be his sister.

The little girl grabbed the dead miko's hand and pulled to the river's edge. "Look down there." It was a command, not a request. Hikaru and Kikyou looked down.

Reflected in the waters below them was Kikyou, the girl—pale and dark—and Hikaru, but in her hanyou form. They could see her dog-ears and golden eyes. The young miko was surprised and flexed a hand to watch the image in the water mirror her.

Kikyou stared at Hikaru and was silent. "How…how can this be? Even for a hanyou, you're too young to be his sister."

Hikaru cocked a half-smile and shrugged. "A long story that I don't think that I have the luxury to relate at the moment. I am afraid that time is not kind to me. I have to find the last shard of the Shikon jewel or Inuyasha and my friends will be killed."

"See? You have to take me with you," replied the child.

"Huh?" Hikaru was confused. "What do you have to do with the Shikon?"

"This is the spirit of the shard," Kikyou explained and pointed further up the bank. "The actual jewel shard is up there."

"How did this happen?"

"From what I understand, when the shard arrived here, the spirit awakened and discovered that it could move about in this realm, while its physical form stayed in one place. When I arrived here, I took upon myself to protect the shard."

As she talked, the three of them walked back towards the gate, which lead to a dock on the river. Hikaru speculated that this was where the Ferryman would dock to collect the dead to take them to wherever they were destined. She shivered and glanced away. She had enough of death for the moment.

The spirits were standing near a pair of boulders. When Hikaru joined them, the girl pointed to a crevice between the stones. Kneeling, Hikaru caught a glimpse of the shard. She reached in with her left hand and managed to collect it. Relieved she stood and leaned against the stone.

"Will you promise me something, miko-sama?" the shard spirit asked.

"What is it? If it is within my power to grant then I will."

"Don't let that youkai get me! I don't want to be corrupted like the others. I want to stay pure. Promise me that he won't get me too." Ghost tears dripped down her cheeks and off her chin. It moved Hikaru like a real child would. She always had a tender spot for children.

"I swear, as long as I draw breath neither Naraku or those that follow him will have you." That seemed to please the spirit as it faded and the Shikon gave a faint glow. Hikaru closed her hand over the shard and started to walk back the way that she came.

"What shall I do now?" Kikyou asked.

"Go rest in peace I should think."

"Why? Naraku isn't dead yet."

"That is no longer your concern. You know the truth about what passed between you and Inuyasha. That should be enough. Let revenge be his concern."

"I can't leave like this!"

"Yes, you can. For his sake."

"Naraku's…."

"No. My ani-chan's sake. You would only confuse him further than he already is." Hikaru walked on without waiting for a reply.

Kikyou watched her leave. "Inuyasha, confused?" Something approached on the water. She turned and saw a figure emerge from the foggy horizon. She smiled and walked.


	4. Return from the Dead

Inuyasha's ears twitched. He wasn't sure, but he thought that he could hear Hikaru's heartbeat grow stronger. He released a breath that he hadn't known he was holding in relief. She would be all right. That was what mattered.

Beside him, Kagome gasped.

"Kagome, what is it?"

"Inuyasha, I can sense the power of a Shikon fragment with her," she whispered. They both winced. She had accomplished her mission; whether that would prove to be a good thing or not would now be seen.

Hikaru took a deep breath as she body fought off the last effects of the potion she had taken. All around her, the youkai became alert and their leader stood in front of her.

"Well, do you have it or not?"

In response, Hikaru opened her left hand. The shard emitted a faint glow that almost seemed to pulsate.

Hakudoushi leered and reached down to take the jewel. The others gasped in horror or anticipation as his fingers grasp it. Slowly he lifted his hand…

Only to have Hikaru's hand move with his. The youkai continued to tug on the shard. The miko bit her lip to keep any sounds of pain from escaping. The shard wouldn't move; it seemed embedded into her skin.

Snarling he shoved the hand onto the floor and used his foot to keep it in place. He brought out his axe.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Juanyu yelled.

"The shard seems to have fused itself into the miko's hand. But I will have the shard. Now I have to take the hand as well."

Hikaru paled. She was weak from her journey and she was human for this night. If she lost her hand there was a good chance that she would die.

Hakudoushi raised his axe and aimed. Halfway towards the hand, Hakudoushi was knocked to one side by a mysteriously freed Juanyu. As they wrestled the shadow-half youkai resumed his wolf form and went for the throat. The axe shaft stopped the jaws from reaching their target.

During this, the guards were distracted enough for Sango and Kiarara to attack them from behind. Miroku and Inuyasha joined moments later. Kagome and Shippou crawled to Hikaru's side and headed for the cave entrance.

There was a moment where they were afraid of running into Kagura, but her attention appeared to be focused on the struggle between Hakudoushi and Juanyu. The three of them took cover in the underbrush and waited for the others. Juanyu leapt off of Hakudoushi and followed the kitsune and girls outside.

Inuyasha brought out Tetsusiaga once he saw them leave the cave. In such small quarters, he didn't want to risk it while Kagome and Hikaru were still in midst of the fighting. Miroku and Sango moved close to the wall, out of his way. "There's no way in hell that you're getting the last shard!"

The sword released its Cutting Wind, eliminating the guard youkai. A windshield created by Kagura protected her and Hakudoushi. A summoned feather carried them out and away from the hanyou and his friends.

"Dammit, they got away…again!" Inuyasha groaned.

"True, Inuyasha, but at least we have the last shard," Miroku commented.

"Yeah, and Hikaru is safe."

"We better get to her and the others," Sango said. "They might come back for her."

These words hurried them out into the woods where they quickly reunited with the rest of the group.

"Dammit! I almost had it. If that damn wolf-boy hadn't interfered, then I would have the shard by now."

Kagura paid him little attention. Hakudoushi had been whining in this manner ever since they had made good their escape from the cave. She was glad to be away from there. The youkai they had recruited for this mission were dead; but then they were of no consequence.

"I just wish that I knew how that boy managed to break loose?" he murmured.

Kagura did her best to keep her expression of indifference. "Maybe he's stronger than we thought he was. He is a shadow-half youkai after all. How knows what powers he possesses," she replied.

This shut up Hakudoushi as he thought. "Maybe so, maybe so…"

It was doubtful though that he would learn the real reason. And the wind mistress wasn't going to enlighten him any time soon. She was just glad that neither of them had noticed.


	5. Surprises

"Ow! Ow! Stop that, ani-chan."

Inuyasha uttered a low growl and stopped poking at Hikaru's hand. Dawn was several hours past and she was restored to her normal self. Except for the Shikon shard still in her hand. No one had any luck removing it.

Miroku came forward with some bandages. "It's obvious that none of us can remove the shard. Let's hide it instead. Maybe a solution will come to us later." He knelt at her side and began using the bandage to wrap her hand, concealing the shard.

"What good will that do? Others will be able to sense it," Inuyasha demanded.

"Um, actually, Inuyasha, that might not be the case."

"What do you mean, Kagome?"

She studied Hikaru a moment before speaking. "If I didn't know that she had the shard, it would be easy to say that she didn't have it. I can sense it, but it's very faint."

Sango looked up from maintaining her Hiraikotsu at them. "It may be possible that since Hikaru possesses both houriki and youki, like the Shikon Jewel, then the combination of them masks the shard's presence."

"That is possible. If so, than that gives us an advantage."

"How? Naraku will know that the last shard has been found by now," Shippou huddled on Kagome's shoulder.

"Ah, but he knows that a young miko has the shard. Kagura and Hakudoushi didn't find out that the miko was actually a hanyou at her human time. Naraku will be sending his agents to look for such a miko."

"Don't bet on that," grumbled Inuyasha. "He's not as dumb as that."

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to hope, Inuyasha," commented Hikaru. The houshi had finished his work and she was flexing her fingers and wrist to make sure that she could move her hand freely.

He also handed her some prayer beads. "These are the same kind that I use for my wind tunnel. They might further hide the Shikon's presence from others." Over the bandages she pulled on a glove that had the fingers cut off; the cuff of the glove went up her sleeve. She nodded and wrapped the beads around her hand and wrist.

"I think that we better head back to the village. Tonight is the night of the new moon. After what happened last night I don't think that we want to be caught out in the open like that again," Juanyu suggested. He didn't mention that Inuyasha would be the one to turn human this time.

The others agreed and headed out. The shadow-half youkai scouted ahead in case of trouble.

Inuyasha was silent during the return trip. He didn't like how this was going. The shard was a part of his imooto now; Hakudoushi was right in that the only way to remove the shard from Hikaru would be to cut off the hand. He didn't want that. He also didn't want her corrupted by the shard. He could see no way out of this situation short of making the Shikon Jewel whole again….

Which would mean that Hikaru and Naraku would have to meet face-to-face. Inuyasha grimaced and for a moment, focused on where to put his feet. Dammit, there was no other way to resolve this, not to his liking at least.

On his back, Kagome knew that he was thinking about something hard. He had this quiet, reserved attitude about him whenever he was thinking about something. It didn't take a lot for her to know that he was thinking about Hikaru. They all were. She wanted to say something, something to comfort him or give him hope for the future. But she couldn't think of anything that didn't sound contrite. Instead she leaned down and hugged his shoulders. She hoped that he would understand.

"Hm. So, a young miko is in possession of the last Shikon shard. I'm disappointed in you, Hakudoushi. I would have thought that you would have worked harder in your attempt to gain it."

Naraku glared at his minions with his usual cold, deceptive stare. Hakudoushi was trying not to protest further in his defense about the failure. Kagura was doing her best to ignore them both, yet she focused enough that Naraku couldn't accuse her of wondering thoughts.

"I've sent out the Saimyoushou to find her," the little youkai stated. "It shouldn't take them long to find her and the shard."

Naraku sneered. "You shouldn't have bothered. It is unlikely that Inuyasha and his friends would be so foolish as to let the girl run around on her own." He paused as one of the Saimyoushou returned from scouting and hovered near his shoulder. Naraku listened for a moment to what the insect had to say. By the end, he was smiling. He gave a wordless command and the Saimyoushou went to rejoin its brethren.

"Hakudoushi, Kagura, I have a new assignment for you."

"What is it?"

"We know where all the shards are. All that remains is to collect them. Go and keep track of Koga. Because of the shards in his legs, he moves quickly, but your wind power should be able to match his land speed."

Although they were confused, neither of them argued. They left on a feather out of sight. Kagura was curious as to what the Saimyoushou could have told Naraku that changed his attitude so quickly.

When they were gone, Naraku chuckled. "Ah, Inuyasha. How rude of you. You never told me that you had an imooto. And now she has the last shard. This should make things very interesting. I wonder though…what will you do when the shard and the girl become corrupt? Kill her?" His chuckle grew into a laugh as the idea filled him with malicious glee.

The man raced through the forest as if the beasts of hell were on his heels. And in a sense they were. A pair of large bear youkai forced their way onward not caring what got in their path. The human knew that he was only prolonging the inevitable, but he had to get through. It was a mad hope that someone would see him and try to help him. But the fact that no one had come when he first cried for help made this hope a slim one.

The bears did reach him and he had the dignity to not scream when they tore into him. This was helped when one of the bears slashed his throat open with a claw. Blood sprayed everywhere and more flew into the evening air as the youkai finished dismembering him.

When they were done, they paused in a zombie-like stance. Each of them seemed to be listening to something that only they could hear. Suddenly they turned on each with a growl. The assault was brief and unsatisfactory. Both youkai ended up on the ground bleeding too heavily for their bodies to heal. A wet, sticky thud resounded through the woods as they fell.

From the deepening shadows, a woman emerged tapping a long flute on the palm of one hand. A scowl marred her beautiful features and showed her for the oni that she was. A booted toe nudged one of the corpses and she sneered.

"I thought that one of them would be tougher than this…how sickening and pathetic. At least the nosy human is rid of."

Without a backward glance, she walked away from the rotting meat towards her home. She needed to find some more candidates. If only there were some worthy fighters close by.


End file.
